Faces
by Bert
Summary: Sequel To Voices, prequel to thoughts *complete*
1. Default Chapter

Title: Faces (1/3)  
  
Author: Bert  
  
Rating: R - Some bad language...  
  
Summary: Sequel to Voices... read it first.  
  
  
  
Spike shook his head as he slowly awoke, "What the hell hit me?" he asked.Â  He moved to clutch his aching head in his hands but found them tied behind him in a loose knot.Â  Then remembered.Â  He looked up and saw Xander silently watching him.  
  
"You hit me" it wasn't a question.  
  
Xander jumped up off the tomb and picked up a bottle of scotch from the floor.  
  
"What's that?" Spike asked confused.Â  "It'll take more than one bottle before I forgive you."  
  
Xander smiled and smashed the bottle against the stone work, "No!" screamed Spike as saw the precious fluid contained within soaking into the dusty floor.Â  "What did you do that for?Â  That was good scotch..." his voice trailed off when he saw Xander still holding the broken neck.Â  Without a word he started to approach the vampire.  
  
Spike frantically struggled against his bonds as Xander slowly approached, holding the broken bottle out in front of him, a look of death in his eyes.Â  "Look, whatever it is, I didn't do it" Spike shouted unable to tear his eyes from the bottle.  
  
Xander came to a stop in front of the vampire.Â  He just stood there a sense of calm flooding his being as with sudden clarity he realised just what it was he had to do.Â  Slowly he raised the bottle, ready to strike.  
  
Spike glared defiantly up at him, "Do it," he challenged defiantly, "go on, you don't have the guts" he spat out.Â  His eyes widened as the bottle started to descend.Â  Closing his eyes Spike braced himself from the strike.  
  
His eyes flew open when something hot splashed against his skin and ran down his face, "What?" his eyes flew open.Â  An almost overpowering stench of blood filled his senses as he saw the deep jagged cut in Xander's wrist, his blood flowing freely from the wound.Â  Xander gripped his wrist and watched the blood flow, his eyes were emotionless as he alternately tightened and loosened his grip, his lips curled upwards slightly when the blood spurted out to strike Spike.  
  
"Are you nuts?" Spike screamed, subconsciously licking the blood of his lips, "you need help fast I...,"Â  His shouts were cut off as Xander clamped his wrist over his mouth and he brutally held the blondes head against the wound.Â  Loud gurgles came from Spikes throat as he started to choke against the blood flooding his mouth then instinct kicked in and he greedily gulped down the blood freely given to him.  
  
Too soon the flow slowed and stopped, Spike whimpered softly as Xander's wrist fell from his lips, quickly followed by the rest of the body as Xander slumped down onto the floor.  
  
Stronger from the fresh blood Spike wrenched his hands free from his bonds and knelt down against Xander's prone form.Â  "Why?" Spike demanded, then he realised just what had occurred, just what he had just done.Â  "Buffy's going to kill me" he gasped as he licked the last traces of Xander's blood from his lips.Â  "I could run," he told himself, common sense chose that moment to chip in its own two cents "she'll still hunt you down like a wild animal for killing her friend, can you hide that long?"  
  
"Argh" Spike screamed in frustration, Buffy would never believe that Xander suddenly decided to donate freely to a vampire in need.Â  His eyes brightened as a sudden spark of inspiration struck, "I could say I found him like this," Spike smiled warming to his idea, "yeah, that'll work."Â  His doubt's suddenly grew, "only they'd never believe me."Â  He pulled his leg back to kick the body when he stopped and listened carefully.  
  
There, he barely caught it but Xander's heart was still beating, albeit slowly and very weakly.Â  He was saved, Spike smiled truly happy, all he had to was get him to hospital and all would be well in the world.Â  Buffy will even be eternally grateful to him for saving her friend, "yes" he hissed punching the air in triumph.Â   
  
"No!" Spike suddenly crouched over Xander, he could tell that his vitals were rapidly failing, "don't do this to me," he gently raised him up to make his breathing easier.Â  It was to no avail; Xander's heartbeats were becoming few and far between.Â  Spike shook him in frustration, "come on Xander, live damn you," Spike begged, unaware of the irony as for once he wished one of the scoobies to survive, on any other occasion he'd be quite happy to gloat over their corpse.Â  "It all depends on you.Â  Be a pal huh? Live... please?" he roughly dumped him back onto the floor when he got no response.  
  
"Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger... unless..." he stopped his ranting and looked thoughtfully down at Xander.Â  He shook his head in disgust, "no I couldn't," he told himself, "but it'd save him thereby earning Buffy's gratitude."Â  And image of Buffy slowly letting her dress slip from her shoulders flashed in his mind as he imagined just how she could thank him.Â  His mind made up Spike quickly slit his wrist and held the bleeding wound over Xander's mouth, he had to hurry before Xander finally dropped dead.Â  "Drink damn it," Spike pinched Xander's cheeks forcing his mouth open, "Buffy's going to be so pleased with me" he told himself as he forced his blood down Xander's throat.  
  
  
  
Spike sat watching the body waiting for the moment when he would awake, apart for a trip to fetch blood he had been cooped up in here all day.Â  Not through concern for Xander or anything, but he didn't want anyone discovering the body or his friends asking if he had seen him.Â  There were some answers he needed from Xander, most importantly why he did what he did.Â  He jumped slightly when without warning Xander suddenly sat upright, without moving his body Xander turned his head and stared directly at his sire.Â  Spike silently returned the gaze, his hand moved as he flicked a bag of blood to the fledgling.  
  
Xander caught the bag and looked down at it for a moment before tearing it open with his teeth he quickly sucked it dry.Â  "More," another bag quickly followed the first, likewise it was consumed.Â  "More," and another, "more," and another.Â  "More."Â  No bag followed the request.  
  
"More" Xander repeated.  
  
"You've had enough"  
  
Xander narrowed his eyes, "More" he demanded.  
  
Spike stood his ground, "I said you've had enough."  
  
Xander cocked his head to one side and thought for a moment, then he suddenly smiled, "ok," he agreed.  
  
Spike breathed a sigh of relief, "Do you know who you are?"  
  
"I'm Xander"  
  
"Good" he smiled down as his childe, "how do you feel?"  
  
A look of pure joy crossed Xander's face, "I feel free."  
  
Spike glanced at him for a moment but decided to let it go, "do you know what happened?" he asked carefully.  
  
Xander nodded.  
  
"Do you know why?"  
  
Again with the nod.  
  
"Well why dammit."  
  
Xander opened his mouth as if to say something, then he closed it.Â  He nodded his head side to side as if silently debating something then smiled once again at Spike, "No, you're not ready."  
  
Spike was speechless, already he dared defy him.Â  Something was very wrong here.Â  Then he realised something, so far Xander hadn't shown his demon face, it normally appears when they first awake.  
  
"Bring her to me" Xander asked, it was too much like an order for Spike's liking.Â  It was time to prove who was boss.  
  
Snarling he rushed Xander pushing him roughly against the wall, "Just who's the master around here?" he growled lifting him against the wall, game face displayed in full anger.  
  
Xander blinked innocently, "why you are daddy dearest."  
  
The unexpected response completely phased Spike, his face slipping back to normal he let Xander back down, "Er... yes.Â  Good.Â  I am, remember it."Â  He tried to sound threatening as he desperately attempted to recover his position.  
  
"So will you bring her to me?" Xander asked.  
  
"Who? Anya?" he asked.  
  
A small smile appeared on Xander's lips as he vigorously shook his head in negation.Â  "Willow?" Spike asked hopefully.Â  Again with the shaking, only this time the smile was bigger.Â  "You can't want to see Tara?"Â  The head shaking returned.Â  "That'd only leave..." Spike said aloud, then he stopped when he saw Xander positively beaming at him.Â  "You can't be serious" he exclaimed.  
  
Xander nodded, his grin threatening to split his face in two, "Spike baby, I can call you baby right?" he asked throwing a friendly arm across his shoulders.Â  He pulled Spike into a not to friendly head lock and started to talk animatedly, "You need to see the big picture like I do."Â  Xander moved his free hand expansively in front of him, "I have a plan you see, in a year we'll rule this berg, in two the blood will flow freely, within three it will no longer exist."  
  
"And then?" Spike asked trying to extricate himself.  
  
"And then?" Xander faltered for a moment and then recovered himself, "and then we'll go elsewhere, LA maybe.Â  I'm sure Angel and Cordellia will be positively delighted to see me, won't they?"Â  He suddenly let Spike go, an innocent look appearing on his face as his sire fell unceremoniously onto the floor.  
  
"They'd be delighted." Spike ground out picking himself up.  
  
"Of course they will," Xander confirmed.  
  
Spike blinked as he studied his newest childe for a moment, Xander grinned and stared right back.Â  He smiled briefly before shifting his body into classic bodybuilder poses, "bloody hell" Spike exclaimed as finally the missing pieces clicked into place, "you're flippin' loopy."  
  
Xander genuinely laughed in amusement and looked virtuously up at him, "loopy is as loopy does," he said cryptically.Â  Facing his sire he started to hum a tune whilst waving his hands about as if conducting an orchestra.Â  Suddenly he burst into song, "What shall be do with the dunken vampire?" he sang with gusto.Â  "What shall we do with the drunken vampire?" the volume increased as he sang each line.Â  "What shall we do with the drunken vampire?Â  Ear-ly in the morn-ing."Â  He stared meaningfully at Spike as he sang the emphasis on the last word.Â Â  Turning away from him he continued to sing to himself, completely ignoring the presence of his sire, "Hoo-ray and up she rises, Hoo-ray and up she rises, Hoo-ray and up she rises, Ear-ly in the morning."  
  
Spike slowly backed out of the room.Â  Before Xander could make a move to follow he quickly slammed the door shut.Â  Turning the key in the lock Spike rushed around the room, shifting furniture to barricade the door.Â  Satisfied that Xander was not going anywhere Spike groaned out loud and buried his head between his knees, he was silent for a moment as he listened to the wild singing coming through the door.Â  A small chuckle escaped his lips, trying to keep in his laughter spike failed and was soon laughing hysterically.Â  "I'm dead and she's going to kill me.Â  I'm dead and she's going to kill me."Â  His mind could only grasp just one detail, Buffy was going to kill him. 


	2. Part 2

Title: Faces (2/3)  
  
Author: Bert  
  
Rating:Â PG13  
  
Summary: Sequel to Voices...read it first.  
  
Whistling tunelessly Spike stepped into the Magic Shop.Â  "Evening all," he waved cheerily earning him a dark look from Buffy.Â  Ignoring the others he started browsing the shelves, carefully pocketing several items when he thought no one was looking.  
  
"Where is he?" demanded Anya as she stormed into the shop.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Well Xander of course" she gave him a look normally reserved for slime- moulds.Â  "I can't find him anywhere, have you seen him?" she asked.  
  
"Er no" Giles said rapidly, "Buffy? Willow?" he asked quickly, neatly deflecting her attention onto the two girls and away from him.  
  
Buffy shook her head in negation as Willow spoke up, "Not since yesterday" she replied.Â  She turned to where the vampire was going over some items on the shelves.Â  "Have you seen him Spike?" she asked.Â  Getting no response from the vampire she raised her voice and called his name again, "Spike!"  
  
Looking up startled Spike quickly put the crystal orb back where it came from, "I was just looking" he said defensively, "I wasn't going to steal it."  
  
"Xander" repeated Willow, "have you seen Xander?" she elucidated each word slowly.  
  
Spike felt his blood run cold, damn they know, he told himself.Â  "Xander who?" he asked playing dumb.  
  
The girls shared a look, "you know, Xander, our friend?"  
  
Spike blinked and rapidly thought, "oh him" he shrugged as if to dismiss the matter, "he was here a minute ago."  
  
"No he wasn't."  
  
"Sure he was" argued Spike, "he must have just stepped out for a moment, that's all"  
  
"He was not here" repeated Buffy.  
  
Spike glared at her, "yes he was."  
  
"He wasn't."  
  
"Who wasn't?"  
  
"Xander."  
  
"Xander who?" shot back Spike hopefully.  
  
Buffy let out a scream of frustration, "somebody get me a stake, I want to kill him."  
  
"That's great" Spike threw his hands up in disgust, "as soon as something goes wrong you go and turn on innocent old Spike.Â  I'm not his guard dog you know, just because he decides to go and bleed to death on my floor does not make it my fault."Â  He stopped and paled even further when he realised what he just said, "do you want a shag?" he asked quickly trying to distract them.  
  
"What?"  
  
"A shag" repeated Spike thrusting his hips, "want a quickie?" he leered at Buffy's breasts and licked his lips suggestively.Â  "The others won't mind, hell they can even watch us if they want, you know get the ol' blood pumping."  
  
Buffy said nothing for a moment, just stood there staring at him as her face turned an interesting shade of red, "you're sick," she said, he voice dripping with disgust.  
  
"Fine.Â  Be that way, if that's the way you want it I'll just get my stuff and leave."Â  With that Spike grabbed several other items he had marked and stormed out of the shop.  
  
Giles watched as the door closed behind the vampire before speaking up, "did he pay for those?" he asked,  
  
  
  
Spike slowed down when he saw someone lurking in the shadows near his crypt, "who's there?"  
  
Buffy stepped out into the light and calmly walked towards him, "it's only me."Â  She smiled sweetly up at him before punching him in the face.  
  
"Ow, what was that for?"  
  
Buffy ignored the question and hit him again, "I kept wondering" she said aloud, "as to why a vampire would steal the necessary ingredients to perform the restoration spell."Â  Whack, "then I realised that it would be easier to just beat it out of him."  
  
"I didn't do it," Spike tried to block her attacks.  
  
"Do what?" Buffy asked throwing him to the ground, "turn Xander?" she asked putting her foot over his throat.Â  Buffy saw his reaction and finally understood, "that's it isn't it? You're planning on cursing him."  
  
Spike nodded, unable to speak as Buffy slowly increased the pressure.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
Spike glanced over to his crypt.  
  
Buffy followed his gaze, "in there?"Â  She pulled the vampire to his feet, "Show me."  
  
Spike looked down at Buffy, "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, "he's not what you'd expect."  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
He opened the door and slowly led Buffy into the room, "Xander? You have a visitor"  
  
Buffy's eyes slowly adjusted to the dimly lit room, she finally saw Xander sitting crossed legged on the floor, his expression almost Zen like as he sat there looking up at them.  
  
"Oh dear God no" Buffy gasped taking a few steps back, she thought she was ready but nothing prepared to see him.  
  
Xander smiled, "Oh dear God yes" he mimicked, he slowly unwound his limbs and stood up, "you brought her" he turned to Spike awaiting his explanation.  
  
"She came, you saw and now we're going."  
  
"Leave us"  
  
Spike's eyes bugged out, "you can't be serious, the first chance she gets and you're dust."  
  
A lop sided grin appeared on his face, "she can't stake me, I'm Xander."  
  
"It's ok" Buffy sounded subdued.  
  
"I don't believe this" Spike shouted, "he's a vampire, a killer.Â  What's to stop him from ripping out your throat?"  
  
Buffy shared a look with Xander and a similar smile appeared on her face, "he won't harm me, he's Xander."  
  
Spike looked from one to the other, there was something going on between these two and he wasn't sure if he liked it.Â  "Fine" he growled, "if either of you die don't come crying to me about it."Â  With that he stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.  
  
He stood there rock still, just simply gazing at her, his innocent brown eyes piercing into the very core of her being, "you are afraid."Â  He said, before Buffy could deny it he continued with the quote, "and fear leads to hate.Â  Hate leads to anger and therein lies the path to the dark side."Â  Then he smirked at her, "too late."  
  
Buffy looked Xander up and down, taking in the differences about him, "I'm so sorry" she started.  
  
Xander held up a hand to her, "don't be.Â  I rather like it."Â  He was silent for a moment then suddenly blurted out three words she never expected to hear form his mouth, "I love you."  
  
Buffy start to have a choking fit, "What?" she asked.  
  
"I love you," he repeated, "or rather the previous occupant of this body did.Â  He's had the wildest dreams about you that you wouldn't believe and since I've inherited everything that he was, I love you."Â  He cocked his head to one side a studied her for a moment, "but then you already knew that didn't you?"Â  He didn't give her a chance to reply, "you knew" he reiterated with sudden clarity, "you knew the effect you had on him and you used it to your advantage.Â  A secret smile here, a pout there, a longing look or two, you loved the power you had over him.Â  Well it won't work with me, I'm better than him."  
  
Buffy couldn't believe that this... this... vampire was mocking her with this, "you're nothing compared to him."  
  
He studied her for a moment then sighed, "Maybe not, but I'm all you've got.Â  Still, it had to be said before you do it."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Why curse me of course.Â  That is why you're here isn't it?" he asked, "have a quick peek at the freak before you lock him away forever up here," he tapped the side of his head.Â  "Well it won't work, I'll always be there.Â  I've tasted freedom, not having to hide behind the facade of humanity and so will have Xander.Â  Nothing you do can destroy that.Â  Nothing!"  
  
Buffy just looked on at him, a bored expression on her face, "very eloquent." She said sarcastically, "now why did you want to see me?" she asked tapping her foot.  
  
He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "why to dance of course" he said stretching out his hand to her.Â  "Would mademoiselle care to take a dance with her death?" he asked.Â  He waited a moment before started to waltz by himself, his arms out stretched with an imaginary partner.Â  "La la de da de da."  
  
Buffy watched as he softly hummed to himself as he danced around the room, on occasions breezing past before continuing on.Â  On one such encounter and without warning he reached out and pulled her into the dance.  
  
Buffy laughed and shook her head dejectedly.Â  For some strange reason she was enjoying the unreality of the whole situation.Â  Xander grinned down at her sharing the joy, when she laughed he caught a glimpse of just what Xander saw in her, this moment would be his gift to him.Â  "So tell me, how does immortality sound?"  
  
Buffy tried to stop but was easily still being carried by him as he moved, "I think it sucks"  
  
Xander grinned, "oh no, I suck.Â  Destiny is such a fickle thing, tick follows tock before the sun doth crow." He stopped pinning her against the wall, "today you live" he held out his right hand, "tomorrow you die" he held out his left.Â  Then he closed the right, "why not die now?Â  Save time, times a fleeting as the horsemen approach." He stopped and bent lower, gently breathing in her scent, "you smell nice."Â  He quickly kissed her on the cheek, "Better to die by one you want than one you don't."Â  Buffy shivered as he caressed the old bite marks on her neck with his finger tips, "you already know just how good I can make it feel," he looked deep into her eyes, "you shall be my first, I promise."Â  He moved to kiss her again on the lips.  
  
"Get away from me" Buffy roughly pushed him away.Â  She looked at him sitting on the floor for a moment before calmly walking towards the door.Â  "Goodbye Xander" without turning around she reached for the door handle when he called out to her to stop.  
  
"There's a hole in your mind, dear Liza" he sang.  
  
Buffy turned to face him, "What?" she asked.  
  
"There's a hole in your mind, dear Liza, dear Liza.Â  There's a whole in your mind, dear Liza, a hole."  
  
"What are you talking about?" she stopped when she saw his expression and decided to play his little game, "Well fix it dear Xander, dear Xander, dear Xander, well fix it, dear Xander, well fix it."  
  
"With what shall I fix it? Dear Liza, dear Liza.Â  With what shall I fix it, dear Liza with what?"  
  
On the other side of the door Spike pressed his ear closer against the wood listening to them, "damn," he muttered, "now they're singing together.Â  Next they'll be boinking each other senseless under my roof."  
  
Â   
  
Buffy stopped, her mind frantically working in overdrive trying to remember what the next line of the song was.Â  Softly she repeated the first verse to herself under her breath as she tried to remember.Â  Still not moving from the floor Xander looked up at her and grinned, "Spike" she shouted out getting desperate.  
  
"Fix it with a spike?" Xander asked confused.  
  
"No, wait a minute.Â  Spike!" she shouted out again.  
  
"A minute, such a strange thing.Â  Just a minute can last forever yet an hour is never long enough.Â  Tell me Buffy just how long will your last heartbeat take?"  
  
"Straw" Spike interrupted entering the room, "the next line is straw"  
  
Buffy sang out quickly cutting off his ramblings, "With straw, dear Xander dear Xander, dear Xander.Â  Fix it with straw, dear Xander, dear Xander, with Straw"  
  
Xander laughed, "Clutching at straws more like.Â  Very well..." he quirked an eyebrow and looked directly at them, "The straw is too long, DEAR Liza."Â  He emphasised the word just to annoy Spike.  
  
"Well cut it, dear Xander..." continued Buffy.  
  
"With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza?", he looked keenly at her, "with what shall I cut, dear Liza, with what?"  
  
"With an axe, dear Xander..." her voice trailed off at the look of triumph on his face.  
  
"Wherein lies the answer my friends."  
  
"An Axe?" Buffy shouted, "all that and the answer is an axe?"  
  
"A headless chicken still runs but soon falls over dead."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"If you go looking then you'll just make it easier for them."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Xander laughed, "you don't expect it to be that easy do you?Â  If you're lucky I'll get to you first."  
  
Saying nothing Buffy calmly walked out of the room, quickly followed by Spike who quickly locked the door behind him.Â  Buffy stared at the door in silence for a moment before turning to the vampire, "do it" she said her gaze not wavering, "cast the spell Spike." She commanded before going out to hunt in the night. 


	3. Part 3

Â   
  
Â   
  
Title: Faces (3/3)  
  
Author: Bert  
  
Rating: R - Some bad language...  
  
Summary: Sequel to Voices... read it first.  
  
  
  
Tap.Â  Tap.  
  
Spike jumped up when he heard the faint tapping coming from the other side of the door.Â  Fearfully he started to back away from the door when he berated himself for being so foolish.Â  Angrily he reached over and thumped on the door once.  
  
The tapping immediately stopped, after a short while there was a single tap.  
  
Spike grinned and rapped the door twice.  
  
Tap.Â  Tap.  
  
Realising what he was doing Spike shook his head in disgust, "Xander? Can you hear me?" he asked facing the door.  
  
Tap.  
  
"Good, you can."  
  
Tap. Tap.  
  
Spike frowned, "was that yes you can or was it no you can't?"  
  
Tap?  
  
"Well answer me dammit." Spike growled.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Xander?" he called again.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Fine be that way," giving up on the situation Spike paid out the ingredients for the spell.Â  Looking up from the items he stared thoughtfully up at the door for a moment before leaving.  
  
Softly through the door Xander started calling out to him, "Little pig, little pig, please let me come in."  
  
...  
  
Two pairs of eyes watched the building from the shadows across the street.Â  They watched as people entered and left from the front entrance.Â  They watched as a vehicle pulled up outside the building and a young dark haired man exit the vehicle.Â  They looked on as he studied it for a moment before entering, they smiled to each other knowing it would be soon.Â  They saw the man leave and drive rapidly away and mentally counted down, 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... and 4... too soon.Â  They watched in delight as the entire building exploded into flame and laughed contemptuously at the little people running around at its base.  
  
...  
  
The blood bags carefully stowed away Spike decided to stop off at Xander's apartment and pick up some fresh clothes for him.Â  All the while mentally slapping himself for feeling so maternal over his childe.Â  Turning into the street he stopped when he saw the building on fire, without stopping he continued on past and headed straight for his crypt.Â  With his heart sinking in his chest he knew who was responsible and what the repercussions would be for Xander.  
  
Spike burst into the room, he stopped and blinked when he saw Xander sitting there just staring up at him, "How the hell did you get here so fast?" he asked.  
  
"I flew."  
  
Spike glared at him, "that's not funny."Â  He stopped and stared for a few seconds, "you are kidding me, right?" he asked, "you cannot literally..." he paused and made little flapping motions with his hands.  
  
Xander smiled enigmatically as he repeated the movement, "is that a new dance craze?" he asked, "I never left."  
  
"Then you didn't kill her?"  
  
Â   
  
"Kill who? What are you talking about?"  
  
Spike took in a deep breath not knowing how he would take the news, "I think Anya's dead"  
  
Xander looked blankly at him, "How?" he asked mildly.  
  
"A fire, your place burnt down, hell the entire block went up."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Well?" asked Spike after a moment.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Aren't you going to say anything?"  
  
"Was she well done?"  
  
"Don't you feel anything?" asked Spike, "joy, happiness, sadness, anger, hate?Â  Someone you used to be close to just got burnt to a crisp, I mean didn't you want to kill her yourself."Â   
  
"Not really," Xander shrugged.  
  
Spike silently repeated the words as they slowly sank in, "just what sort of vampire are you?"  
  
"The intelligent kind."  
  
"Now look here..."  
  
"No you look here" Xander shouted back cutting him off, his eyes flashed angrily, "you may be my sire but I'll be damned if I'm going to worship the ground you walk on.Â  When my friends die, I will chose the how and where, not you or anyone else.Â  You're not the master around here anymore."  
  
Spike took in his challenging look, "I thought as much," he said.Â  "Here" he pulled out a bag of blood and threw it at Xander.  
  
"TV dinner, yay!" He bit into the bag and drained it, "when do I get the good stuff?" he asked, "just because you can't shouldn't mean others have to do without."  
  
Spike merely studied him carefully as if waiting for something to happen.  
  
"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked, then realisation dawned on Xander's face, he stood up and staggered drunkenly towards Spike, "That blood..." he gasped out, "that blood... you drugged it!" he sounded impressed before collapsing onto the ground.  
  
Spike picked him up and tied him to the chair, "sorry mate," he whispered, "but Buffy needs you sane."  
  
  
  
Xander stirred fitfully, blinking his eyes several times he looked up to see Spike sitting cross legged in front of him.Â Â  A circle of burning candles surrounded them as Spike prepared to cast the spell.Â  Xander smiled, "Kinky."  
  
"You're awake."  
  
"No, I'm a glove puppet," Xander replied sarcastically, "you'd do this to your own?" he asked nodding at the orb.  
  
Spike threw the final herbs into the fire and watched as the flames turned blue, "as you said earlier, you're not mine."Â  He started to chant.  
  
Xander started to struggle against his bonds, "can't we talk about this?" he asked worriedly.Â  A glow appeared in the orb slowly growing brighter, hypnotically it slowly rose until it was level between the two vampires, "a jokes a joke Spike, be a pal, let me go huh?" he begged.  
  
Spike finished chanting, "say hi to Xander," and looked expectantly at the orb waiting for it to happen.Â  After a moment he frowned and looked back down at the spell, the frown deepened, "oops" he looked sheepish.  
  
"Ooops?" Xander practically screamed at him, "what do you mean oops?"Â  He turned his attention back to the orb, "that is my soul in there right?Â  I'm not going to end up with someone elses..."  
  
Spike nodded, "oh you're alright there, that's Xander alright."  
  
"So what's the holdup?Â  I've got people to see, brooding to do, a heck of a lot of brooding to do if deadboy's anything to go by."  
  
"Ah, I'm not sure, you should be cursed by now," he looked down a flicked through several pages umming and ahing as he went, "oh."  
  
"Oh?Â  Why do I not like the sound of that 'Oh'?"  
  
Spike looked embarrassed, "Well you see Dru was the one who normally did the magical hocus-pocus stuff, I was never that good at it."  
  
"Oh joy, and?"  
  
"and that's it."  
  
"That's it? What's going to happen?"Â  Xander flicked his gaze to the glowing orb, he could have sworn it looked brighter.  
  
Spike thought for a moment, "I have no idea, well see you later," he stood up and started to walk away.  
  
"What about me?" asked Xander, "you can't leave me tied up like some bondage doll, cut me loose."Â  He rocked the chair trying to move forwards to the vampire, in the process knocking out one of the candles.Â  As if on queue a loud humming started from the orb.Â  Xander looked down at the fallen candle and back up at the orb, "why do I get the feeling I did not want to do that?"  
  
The orb started to pulse as the sound rapidly increased in intensity to such an extent that Spike was forced to cover his ears against the noise.Â  Unfortunately Xander had no such option and remained exposed to the full acoustic barrage.Â Â  Unable to stand the pain any longer Xander started screaming in concert with the noise.  
  
A loud crack echoed around the room and then silence as orb imploded into nothing, leaving behind the glowing essence it once contained.Â  "Wow" a beatific look manifested on Xander's face as he looked up at it, "it's beautiful" he whispered in awe.  
  
Spike came forward as studied the glowing mist, "very nice," he agreed.Â  "Go on then," he told it making little shooing motions towards Xander, "do your stuff."  
  
Nothing happened for a moment then a small tendril of light snaked its way towards Xander.Â  It hovered momentarily over him before striking his hand and discharging with an audible thwapp.  
  
"Ow!" Xander tried to pull his hand away, "that hurt.Â  Is it meant to do that?"  
  
"Dunno, never done this before," Spike backed away again, unsure as to what he had wrought.  
  
Another tendril formed, and another, simultaneously they headed for the restrained vampire, "Spike?" Xander called, "this isn't fun anymore.Â  Argh."Â  He screamed as they struck.Â  "It's not right, it's not meant to hurt," he frantically struggled against his bonds to get free.Â  His eyes widened in fear as he saw more tendrils forming, "Spike!" he screamed to the closing door, "SPIKE!!".  
  
Hearing the terror in his childe's voice Spike paused outside the room and reflected on what he had just done.Â  Part of him wanted to return and to rescue Xander, but another more practical side of him heard the unmistakable sounds of multiple strikes and Xanders screams.Â  He ran.  
  
Pausing only to light a cigarette Spike shakily breathed in needful gulps of nicotine-laden smoke.Â  He never saw the club swinging towards his head, he only knew when it struck knocking him out cold.  
  
  
  
Spike groaned as he regained consciousness, "Why does everyone insist on hitting me in the head?" he complained.Â  He tried to clutch his head but found his limbs restrained by several chains, unfazed he tested each in turn seeking a week spot.  
  
"Don't bother, they held up against Angelus."  
  
Spike looked up at the speaker, "you!"  
  
"You're such a disappointment Spike, you know that.Â  I had such high hopes for you, rather like Xander before he refused to play."  
  
"You did this to him?Â  But why, he's..."  
  
"Because he refused to play," she interrupted, "do you want to play?" she asked.  
  
Spike nodded frantically, "I'll play," he readily agreed.  
  
"No, I don't think so, you'll just change the rules.Â  If I wanted Xander a vampire then I would have made him one," she smiled when she saw his expression, "oh yes I heard all about that.Â  I wanted him dead not turned, you should have been grateful for the meal."  
  
"I didn't know," complained Spike.  
  
"No excuse," she said in a sing song voice, "Xander had to die when I found out he refused to play.Â  You will die because you didn't play by the rules."  
  
"I didn't do anything," Spike protested.  
  
"You turned Xander, isn't that enough," she smiled, "I was going to kill you anyway but you cheated so will die sooner."Â  Her voice became hard, "Cheaters must be punished so they won't cheat anymore."  
  
"I won't," Spike looked frantically about him at the rapidly brightening predawn gloom, "I promise I won't cheat anymore."  
  
She stepped forwards and gently stroked his cheeks, "you admit you cheated?" she asked smiling sweetly at him.  
  
Spike nodded in agreement.  
  
"Then you admit to having sinned against me and must be cleansed," she stepped back to watch, "I wish I had some marshmallows", she said in afterthought making herself comfortable on the damp grass.  
  
Spikes eyes widened in shock at what she just implied, "you bitch, I'll see you in hell," he spat morphing into his demon face, "they'll know I've gone and they'll discover what you've done."  
  
She merely laughed off his threats as the first rays of the sun broke through the early morning mist and striking Spike.Â  At first his flesh merely hissed and smoked in the light, but soon blackened as the sun rose higher in the sky.Â  All the while Spike merely stared directly at his tormentor refusing to give her the pleasure of hearing him scream, only the twitch of a cheek betraying some of the pain.Â  Finally and mercifully the sunlight hit him on full force causing him to burst into flame, the last sight she had of him was of his yellow eyes staring out through the flames promising revenge before his body exploded into dust.  
  
She watched some of the ashes blowing away in the wind before heading home through the park, stopping now and then to pick wild flowers from the ground and adding them to her collection. 


End file.
